Before you read on: Tribal lending law is complex and varies significantly from state to state. Nothing on this page is advice to stop paying any debt, or a determination that any particular loan is void or unenforceable. It is general information to help you ask better questions. For your specific situation, talk to a licensed attorney — free help may be available through lawhelp.org.
“Getting charged a massive amount of interest daily. I borrowed a loan of $300, 3 payments later of $82.00, my remaining principle balance sits at $279.00. $992.76 is after all the monthly payments if I was to complete my 12 payments. This is the biggest rip off I've ever been involved with.”
That BestCompany review captures the trap in one set of numbers. A $300 loan. Three payments of $82. Principal barely moved. Full schedule would have cost nearly a thousand dollars. If that looks familiar, this page is for you.
One quick flag before we go further: Blue Trust Loans is not the same company as Lendgreen. They both operate out of Wisconsin and both use tribal structures, but they sit under different tribes. That distinction matters a lot for anyone who has been reading about the big LDF settlement.
Who Blue Trust Loans Is
Blue Trust Loans operates through Hummingbird Funds, LLC, which is affiliated with the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians in Wisconsin. Starting around 2022 the consumer-facing site shifted from BlueTrustLoans.com to eLoanWarehouse.com under Opichi Funds LLC. Same operation, different front door.
Class-action complaints name the non-tribal players more clearly than many other tribal lenders. Cane Bay Partners VI, LLLP and Strategic Link Consulting, LP, along with executives David Johnson and Kirk Chewning, are described as the parties that supplied capital, handled underwriting, ran marketing and lead generation, and managed collections. The tribal entity is alleged to have received only a thin slice of revenue — often described as 1–3% — in exchange for the sovereign name. That structure looks a lot like the rent-a-tribe model courts have scrutinized elsewhere, and it weakens the sovereign-immunity defense when the non-tribal defendants are named directly.
⚠ Not Covered by the LDF Settlement
⚠ This is the single most important point on the page. The In re LDF Lending Companies Settlement cancelled roughly $1.4 billion in debt for loans made by entities under the Lac du Flambeau Band (Lendgreen, Lendumo, Makwa Financial, Zfunds, Brightstar Cash, and others). Blue Trust Loans / Hummingbird Funds / Opichi Funds operates under the Lac Courte Oreilles Band. Different tribe. Different legal entity. Different settlement.
If you have a Blue Trust Loan or an eLoanWarehouse account, that $1.4 billion cancellation does not apply to you. Stopping payment because you assumed the debt was wiped out can create new problems. Treat any Blue Trust balance as still live until you have confirmed otherwise through your own records or legal advice. If you were reading about the LDF deal, that's the Lendgreen page — a different tribe entirely.
Why Your Balance Isn't Moving
The BestCompany numbers above are typical. Another borrower wrote: “I borrowed $500 and now with interest it has more than doubled! This is abuse! At no one time was I informed by their agent that this was going to be an extremely HIGH interest loan!”
At 400–800% APR the daily finance charge eats almost every payment. Principal reduction is glacial.
Blue Trust also uses a rule that shows up less often with other lenders. Extra payments aimed at principal must be arranged at least three business days before the due date. Miss that window and the company can refuse the extra money, letting another cycle of interest accrue. One reviewer put it bluntly: “What kind of a banking company won't take a payment when you have extra money? It's just so they can charge the extra interest between then and the next payment.” That is not a glitch. It is a design choice that maximizes interest collection. For the fuller math on why these balances behave this way, see the guide on why your balance isn't going down.
What They Can Actually Do If You Stop Paying
Like most tribal installment lenders, Blue Trust rarely files collection lawsuits in state court. The main tools are repeated ACH attempts and, after charge-off, referral to third-party collectors or debt buyers.
There is a practical pattern worth noting with smaller balances. Accounts under roughly $500 are sometimes abandoned after ACH authorization is revoked. The administrative cost of chasing the debt can exceed what the company expects to recover. That does not mean the debt disappears. The company can still sell or assign the account to a third-party debt buyer who will try to collect. Revoking ACH is useful, but it should be paired with a debt-validation letter so you are prepared if a collector appears later. The pattern is real; it is not a guarantee. Our guide on what happens if you stop paying a tribal loan covers the full picture.
The Re-amortization Offer — What It Actually Means
This is the offer Blue Trust is most likely to make while it still holds the account, and it is easy to misread.
Instead of a percentage discount, the company often proposes re-amortization: the balance is reset to the original principal, the accrued interest is wiped, and a new payment schedule starts. On the surface it looks like relief. In practice you are restarting the same high-APR cycle. One borrower described the choice this way: “Option 2, reamortizing my loan to start all over which would void all interest and put me back to [the original principal].”
If you are certain you can pay the new schedule off quickly, the reset can help. If you are likely to miss payments again, you simply re-enter the same trap with a clean principal and the same 400–800% rate. Treat the offer as a fresh loan decision, not as a settlement.
Settlement Reality
While the account is still with Blue Trust, voluntary percentage discounts (the classic 30–50% lump-sum deals) almost never appear. The internal “settlement” is usually the re-amortization described above or a demand for the full current balance.
Three realistic paths show up in borrower reports and related Lac du Flambeau cases used as comparable estimates:
| Path | What it involves | Realistic expectation |
|---|---|---|
| A. Re-amortization | Accept the principal reset and new schedule | Useful only if you can finish the new term. Otherwise you restart the interest cycle. |
| B. Restricted-state leverage | Cite state usury caps and AG actions in Illinois, Connecticut, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, or Wisconsin | Stronger position for residents of those states. |
| C. Charge-off + third-party buyer | Revoke ACH, wait 120–180 days, then negotiate with the debt buyer | Most common source of true percentage discounts (often 30–50% of the claimed balance). |
Lump-sum payments are preferred by debt buyers. Installment settlements, when available, usually require a higher percentage. Sample language and timing guidance are in the debt-settlement guide and the settlement-offer letter template.
Class Action History
Two federal cases are currently the main vehicles challenging Blue Trust.
Kalkbrenner v. Hummingbird Funds, LLC (Northern District of Illinois, filed 2023) alleges a rent-a-tribe scheme that violated the Illinois Predatory Loan Prevention Act and federal RICO statutes by issuing loans above 200–600% APR to Illinois residents.
Easley v. Hummingbird Funds d/b/a Blue Trust Loans (Southern District of Alabama) challenges loans under the Alabama Small Loan Act and RICO. One named example in the complaint is a $650 loan at 609.72% APR.
Both cases name Cane Bay Partners VI and executives David Johnson and Kirk Chewning directly. Strategic Link Consulting appears as the lead-generation and marketing engine feeding the operation. Because the non-tribal defendants do not share the tribe's sovereign immunity, the immunity defense is only partial. Neither case has produced a global debt-cancellation order for Blue Trust borrowers the way the LDF settlement did for Lac du Flambeau brands.
If eLoanWarehouse Contacts You
eLoanWarehouse.com is the 2022 rebrand of Blue Trust Loans under Opichi Funds LLC. Contact from eLoanWarehouse about an older BlueTrustLoans.com account is contact from the same operation. Rights, validation procedures, and settlement options remain the same. Send a debt-validation letter before engaging.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Blue Trust Loans covered by the LDF $1.4 billion settlement?
No. That settlement applies only to Lac du Flambeau Band entities. Blue Trust / Hummingbird / Opichi sits under the Lac Courte Oreilles Band.
Should I accept a re-amortization offer?
Only if you are confident you can pay the new schedule in full and on time. Otherwise you may simply restart the same high-interest cycle.
What is eLoanWarehouse?
It is the rebranded consumer site for the same Blue Trust / Hummingbird operation.
Will this show up on my credit report?
Tribal lenders themselves often do not report. Secondary debt buyers sometimes do. Check your free annual reports at annualcreditreport.com.
Where can I file a complaint?
CFPB complaint portal, FTC, and your state attorney general's consumer division. These create a paper trail even when they do not erase the balance.
My balance is under $500. Do I still need to act?
Small balances are sometimes abandoned after ACH is revoked, but the account can still be sold to a debt buyer. Revoke authorization and be ready with a validation letter if a collector appears.
The Bottom Line
Start by accepting that the big LDF settlement does not cover Blue Trust Loans. Revoke ACH authorization in writing and block related merchant names. If you receive a re-amortization offer, decide whether you can actually finish the new term before you restart the interest clock. Residents of Illinois, Connecticut, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wisconsin have additional leverage from state usury laws and regulatory actions. If the account reaches a third-party debt buyer, the 30–50% range becomes more realistic.
Where to go next, depending on where you are with Blue Trust Loans.
- Are Tribal Loans Legal? — sovereign immunity and the rent-a-tribe question explained
- Lendgreen — the LDF settlement that does NOT cover Blue Trust (different tribe)
- What Happens If You Stop Paying a Tribal Loan — wage-garnishment myths and real risks
- How to Settle Debt Yourself — the full self-negotiation process
- Why Your Balance Isn't Going Down — the amortization math at 400–800% APR
- Stop ACH Withdrawals — and block every related merchant name
- Debt Validation Letter — pair this with revoking ACH
- Settlement Offer Letter — put your offer in writing safely